Scented Nail Polish? See What Our Staffers Have To Say About It

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Would you wear scented nail polish? The usually-juvenile concept isn’t new—Dior’s done it, so has Sephora—but it’s having another big moment right now thanks to a range of 24 grown-up colors (and scents) arriving in drugstores from Revlon. Jennifer Lawrence’s scented polish-loving character in American Hustle piqued our curiosity, so we decided to do a test in our office.

The Parfumerie Scented Nail Enamel ($6) comes in hues like African Tea Rose and Fresh Linen, and are infused with essential oils to deliver a subtle scent once dry. But what do they really smell like? How long does the scent last? What about the color? We enlisted eight of our staffers to experiment.

Autumn Spice
Nicole Kleist, Senior Editor, WhoWhatWear
“Autumn Spice smells so good! It’s like a combination between chai tea and a spice candle. It took two coats to get my desired opacity, but the application was really smooth. I like the shape of the brush and thickness of the lacquer.”

Spun Sugar
Sarah Chiarot, Graphic Designer, Clique Media
“I picked Spun Sugar because of the bold metallic color and was pleasantly surprised at how long it lasted. I only had to apply one coat to get the color I wanted, and it held up through a heavy round of dishwashing! The scent is not for those looking for something subtle, it reminds me of a vanilla bean Lip Smacker!”

Fresh Linen
Lexy Lebsack, Editor, Byrdie
“Fresh Linen has a powdery, floral scent that lasted about 24 hours. It’s subtle and sort of smells like you washed your hands with a really nice soap, which I like. The shade may appear best suited for someone with grandchildren, but once on, it’s really chic! One coat delivers a milky, high-shine wash and two is a pearly, winter-appropriate alternative to bright white.”

Tropical Rain
Jessica Baker, Managing Editor, WhoWhatWear
“I picked Tropical Rain, which is a really pretty sky blue color—perfect for spring! Though it’s a light hue, it only took one coat to get a solid color. I applied it in morning and at the end of the day my nails still have a subtle scent. I’m not sure what Tropical Rain is supposed to smell like, but smells very floral.”

Pink Pinneapple
Britt Aboutaleb, Editorial Director, Byrdie
“Pink pineapple smells just like a pineapple! It's super sweet. One coat was like a great pinky nude, sort of like Ballet Slippers, and two coats is like a real bubblegum pink. It dried really quickly and is super shiny, even without a top coat.”

Beachy
Danielle Nussbaum, Entertainment Director, Clique Media
“I put on one coat before I left for work, one more coat at various traffic lights, and by the time I got to work it was totally dry and good to go. The scent is like coconut and vanilla suntan lotion. It's funny because you forget about it, and then I guess I don't realize how many times a day I touch my face, because I keep getting a whiff of it, and each time I'm totally surprised!”

Lavender Soap
Lola Gonzalez, Art Director, Clique Media
“Mine smelled like super-strong laundry detergent for about two hours after I did my nails and lasted until the next day. I did two coats, which made it pretty solid and even.”

African Tea Rose
Kat Collings, Associate Editor, WhoWhatWear
”The rose smell was pleasant and natural-smelling, without any chemical undertones, and it lasted for a few days. I did two coats, but one was definitely enough for an opaque look.”